Monitoring
It is justifiable to treat claims of “monitoring” with some scepticism—in politics they are commonly used as a pretence that action will, if necessary, be taken (to solve a problem on which it has already been decided that nothing will be done, or which is already out of control).
But in a managed ecosystem—notably a closed-access commons—monitoring in the sense of frequent presence and assessment is fundamental. A well-managed fishery such as that of Iceland is monitored constantly, and fishing decisions are made on the basis of this. Joy Measures, an organic Hereford beef farmer in Shropshire, visits her animals and chats to them at least twice a day. The reindeer herders in the far north of Finland monitor their herds and the weather in fine detail, reading the night sky for guidance on the decisions of travelling and fishing. The permaculturist Martin Crawford wanders through his forest garden, often.
Here is the sharp feedback of resilience. Monitoring is an ethic at the heart of lean thinking: it is not about calculating but about being there.
Related entries:
Harmless Lunatic, Food Prospects, TEQs (Tradable Energy Quotas).
« Back to List of Entries